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23.01.2010 at 15:00 Spytty Park

Attendance : 1412

Newport County

5 - 0

St Albans City

Referee : Andy Newell (North Yate) Blue Square South

Goalscorers
Gary Warren (23)
Craig Reid (68)
Craig Reid (82)
Sam Foley (90)
Jamie Collins (90)
None.
Opening squads
Glyn Thompson
Paul Bignot
Jamie Collins
Scott Rogers
Gary Warren
Chris Todd
Danny Rose
Charlie Henry
Craig Reid
Dave Gilroy
Kerry Morgan
Paul Bastock
Peter Smith
Ryan Frater
Adam Everitt
James Quilter
Gary Cohen
Chris Sullivan
Rob Magwood
Danny Johnson
James Fisher
Drew Roberts
Substitutes
Ashley Nicholls
Sam Foley
Paul Cochlin
Aaron Morris (84)
Kieran Blackburn
Adam McWeeney
Angus McLachlan
Justin Clayton
Ross Dedman
Substitutions
Ashley Nicholls -> Charlie Henry (57)
Sam Foley -> Dave Gilroy (57)
Aaron Morris -> Scott Rogers (84)
Justin Clayton -> Peter Smith (71)
Ross Dedman -> Danny Johnson (75)
Yellow cards
Chris Todd (41)
Danny Rose (60)
Danny Johnson (29)
Rob Magwood (40)
Peter Smith (43)
Gary Cohen (83)
Red cards
None None.
Match report

Bastock is fouled in the laed up to Newport's 1st goal.
Three late goals boosted Newport County’s surge towards the Blue Square South championship on Saturday as St Albans City, in losing 5-0 at the Newport Stadium, slithered to their heaviest league defeat for two seasons.

City could claim mitigating circumstances as manager Steve Castle had little choice but to field the starting XI he went with.

The City boss was without midfield duo Jonathan O’Donnell and Godfrey Poku following the completion of their move to Luton Town. Suspension ruled out Mark Peters while Solomon Shields failed a late fitness test.

James Quilter and Adam Everitt both carried their respective injuries through the full 90 minutes but a clash between Paul Bastock and Peter Smith led to the latter departing injured and the goalkeeper limping through the closing stages.

Quilter was also in some discomfort by the end of the game and was off the pitch by the time of the fifth Newport goal.

As for the game itself City gave a good account of themselves up until the interval but faded the longer the game went on, conceding three goals in the final 14 minutes.

City handed a debut to Chris Sullivan who joined the club earlier in the week from Canvey Island. Another new face was on the bench in the form of St Albans resident Harry Wheeler, who has been on the books of Ashford Town (Middx) this season.

Newport went into the match on the back of a 12-match unbeaten run, despite this manager Dean Holdsworth made four changes from the side that drew in the FA Trophy in midweek with Conference National side York City.

The match began in bright sunshine yet it was still a chilly afternoon with little during the opening 45 minutes to really warm the highest gate St Albans have played in front of this season.

Bastock was called upon to make the first save of the day, from Dave Gilroy, after Ryan Frater did well to block Kerry Morgan’s drive.

A long diagonal pass by the again impressive Peter Smith looked to have got Drew Roberts away until a crude shirt pull by Jamie Collins terminated the move with the resulting free kick knocked tamely into the home wall.

Although a goal appeared unlikely, Sullivan was showing up well for the Saints but with fellow strikers Gary Cohen and Roberts having a relatively quiet time there was no concerted pressure from the visitors to the Newport International Sports Village.

County keeper Glyn Thompson had little difficulty in dealing with City’s first on-target effort, from Cohen, while the Saints goal had a narrow escape when Morgan’s free kick was knocked onto the face of the crossbar by Todd with neither Gary Warren nor Gilroy able to pounce on the loose ball.

But on 23 minutes Newport did forge ahead with a highly controversial goal. Bastock looked to have a Morgan corner covered until being barged into by Todd. With Bastock out of the way Warren was able to half volley the falling ball into the roof of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

St Albans had a good opportunity to quickly be back on level terms only for Frater to completely miss Smith’s free kick. Sullivan seized possession but his shot was blocked for the Saints first corner of the day.

Just prior to the interval City’s final chance of the half to equalise was blown away when a scramble ended with Cohen’s shot being deflected away for a corner.

City went into the break with bookings against Danny Johnson, Rob Magwood and Smith. The yellow card for Magwood looked a particularly harsh decision and was the only blot on an otherwise good display by the 17-year-old midfielder.

Within three minutes of the restart, as Gilroy put a header over the top and two shots were charged down, it was evident that City were facing a far more testing 45 minutes than witnessed before the break.

Bastock relieved the pressure with an either audacious or ludicrous attempt on the home goal direct from a free kick five yards inside his own half that sailed well off target.

But home keeper Thompson, looking to keep his seventh successive home clean sheet in the league, was forced to concede a corner following a cleanly struck effort by James Fisher.

Craig Reid, top scorer in Conference South this season, having offered little threat before the break, gave notice of what was to come with a fine shot on the turn that flashed across the City goal.

The game took a significant twist on 57 minutes when Holdsworth replaced Gilroy and Charlie Henry with Ashley Nicholls and Sam Foley. Nicholls provided added bite in midfield while Foley simply destroyed the Saints.

On 68 minutes a loose pass by Roberts allowed Foley to storm past Frater down the Exiles left flank before sliding the ball perfectly into the path of Reid who nonchalantly clipped home his 17th goal of the season.

As Reid celebrated Bastock and Smith required lengthy treatment having collided when trying to block the Newport goal machine.

Smith was forced out of the game to be replaced by Justin Clayton who went into the middle of the defence with Adam Everett switching to left-back. A minute later the limping Bastock did well to save from Foley at the expense of a corner.

On 75 minutes Castle withdrew 19-year-old Danny Johnson, which left City to see out the remainder of the match with two 17-year-olds, Magwood and Ross Dedman, in the centre of the midfield.

By now Newport were sensing that there were more goals to be had and were soon moving towards their second five goal win in five league games.

Reid turned and shot across the face of the City goal for a second time before a loose pass by Frater gave possession to Morgan on 82 minutes. The ball was moved forward at speed via Scott Rogers to Reid who this time shot high to Bastock’s right.

Two minutes into added time City’s depleted side conceded a fourth goal with Bastock having good cause to be angry with his defenders.

The City keeper did well to force Reid away from the goal but despite two attempts to take possession from the striker Bastock, now well wide of his goal, could only watch as Reid crossed the ball into the penalty area where an unmarked Foley looped a header from eight yards out into the City goal.

Still Newport were not finished and six minutes into added time the Exiles notched a fifth goal with Collins cleverly glancing a near post Danny Rose corner under the diving Bastock.
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